The Old Republic: Revenge of Mandalore the Vindicated (Book 3)
by MikeRayburn2481
Summary: Following the Republic's momentous victory at Yag'Dhul offensives were launched that pushed the Sith Empire out of the Trailing Sectors and through the Slice. With their battered forces still entrenched in the Northern Dependencies, they rely on their Mandalorian allies in the Trans-Hydian to buy them the time they needed to reestablish the dominance of the Dark Side.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Kai-Kwon had forgotten to raise his hood as he walked out of the Defense Headquarters. The buzzing cam droids that appeared from under the catwalk reminded him where he was. By now his image was being relayed to every large vid screen throughout Galactic City. He picked up his speed as he approached the waiting speeder.

Before he could reach it a large utility speeder with the Republic News Service emblem sidled up to the catwalk. Suddenly the side door slid open and a young female reporter risked her life to jump to the fairly narrow catwalk, hundreds of yards above the next level. The pretty blue skinned Aruzan collected herself and unconsciously shrugged off Kai-Kwon's attempt to help her up. "Thank you Master Jedi, but I'm fine", she turned around and shot a thumbs up to her driver, who flew back up to a safer position.

"You're going to need him to come back miss…"

"Sabasoo" she said, "and he'll be back when you leave" she didn't miss a beat.

"Well I'm leaving now. That was an incredibly dangerous move by the way " he said gesturing to the long fall as he continued moving forward.

She fell in step on his shoulder. "Well you're a hard being to talk to."

"There's a reason for that Miss Sabasoo" he turned his head so the short woman could be heard over the light breeze and air traffic.

She trotted ahead of him and walked backwards as the catwalk widened into a landing platform. "Yes I know all about the Jedi's aversion to-stop please…just for a second" she removed her hands from his chest as he did.

"…thank you. As I was saying, I know you protect yourself from attention and I get that. But with the Mid-Rim offensives stalling the public is losing its stomach for the fight".

"And you're not?" he held up his finger to Kira in the back seat of the idling speeder.

"My homeworld is Aruza, in Imperial space. My family remembers what the last peace was like. Justice denied to one planet is an injustice to all. I don't want that again." There was something in the way she spoke that told Kai-Kwon this was more than a professional sales pitch with a personal anecdote.

"I don't want that either" he said as gently as he could while still being heard.

"Then let me interview you".

She saw him look away and moved around to face him again. "Whether you know it or not you can't get any more attention than you already have. You're the Republic's Savior".

She saw him look even more uncomfortable and moved in. "I know, I know you don't like that. That's why this would be a great opportunity for you to highlight the contributions of Kira Carson, the Convors, and all the others who I know have been just as heroic as you."

"They have".

"I know. But most don't."

He thought about it for a long couple seconds. "Listen I got to go, that heroic Jedi in the speeder is getting impatient."

"Kira Carson? is in there?" she looked at the speeder behind her and tried to peer through the speeders orange windscreens.

"You can't see her?"

"uhh we don't see that spectrum of color very well" she said slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, well I assure she's there and we have to go." He stopped before opening the door. "But, I promise I'll think about your offer Miss Sabasoo."

"It's Ms. Sabasoo…my husband was executed on Aruza for conduct detrimental to morale"

"I'm sorry, I really am."

"I know you are Master Jedi…whatever you decide, just win this war". With that she turned around and started walking back up the catwalk speaking into her comm device.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Kai-Kwon slid the datacard in the computer drive. He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. Finally when he was ready he hit record.

"Citizens of the Republic. I am Jedi Master Kai-Kwon Deo and I know you grow weary of this conflict. I am here to tell you today you are not the only ones. I can speak for all Jedi when I say we have been tired of this war for just as long. The outbreak of hostilities nearly always means the failure of diplomacy and reason. As Jedi our core responsibility is to prevent the outbreak of war. We do this through various means, but know that the serving the perpetuity of peace is the Will of the Force, our highest calling. I say words like always, and nearly, because there are times when answering conflict is a moral necessity and we can rest easy knowing there was nothing we could do to prevent this depravity and violence. I come to you tonight because this is one of those times. While the Jedi's calling is ascension of the Light through peaceful existence, the Sith's calling is pure, unfiltered, power. Their need for conquest and expansion is as innate as a firaxen shark's need to keep swimming, lest it drown. For the Sith, there is no peace. Which means there can be no satisfaction. The rage which sustains them burns for more, always more. It is this rage which made the co-existence under the Treaty of Coruscant always a temporary state. We persevere because we must. There simply is no other choice. So why am I telling you this? The Senate is committed to the war and we could wage battles out here on the frontier whether you like it or not right? Wrong. For too long the Jedi have worn the mantle of hero undeservedly. I can assure you I have seen as many heroic acts from Republic naval commanders and planetary guard privates as I have seen from my own brethren. And I can also assure you that your perseverance in the face of this galactic chaos is heroic in its own right. So don't despair. Your stubborn adherence to life is what we are fighting for."

He stopped recording and pulled up the holomail account for Sirina Sabasoo, and paused a moment, before writing _Sorry. This is the best I can do._ He paused again before hitting send. He sat back in his chair and steeped his hands in front of his face. The door to his cabin opened suddenly and he turned around to see the Dornean Special Forces Commander Taneer T'Laht standing in his doorway, still in street clothes.

"We're coming up on Garos Kai…General Var-Suthra wants you by his side when we hit Fort Carrick." The tall green-skinned warrior shot a thumbs up to T7 in the corner of the room.

Kai-Kwon had found the droid hiding in the abandoned ruins of the Jedi Temple when he and Kira faced off with the Sith spy Saber Tarnis, whose death ended the oppressive Treaty of Coruscant. He also had been fighting with the Commander of ATIR-7, the Republic's preeminent Spec-Ops unit, for the last two years.

Kai-Kwon flashed a quick smile at Kira as the shuttle dropped beneath the cloud bank of the jungle world of Garos. They came in just above a massive storm cell and the pilot closed the automatic troop bay doors before they got completely soaked. He let go of the grip pole and sat back down next to a new member of Taneer's Convors and brushed the drops of water from his face before running a hand through his long damp hair.

In the three years since the dissolution of the Treaty of Coruscant, Kai-Kwon Deo had grown in so many ways. His short dirty blonde hair had fallen and curled to his shoulders. His lean and somewhat lanky body had filled out and hardened and become flecked with the numerous scars of battle. In addition, he had grown mentally; from a just initiated Knight with a reverence for the Jedi's warrior past and a thirst for battle, to a just initiated Master with a greater reverence for the Jedi's diplomats and a thirst for a lasting peace. He was still under no illusions that the Sith had to be confronted and defeated, but he no longer felt the zeal for battle he once had. No doubt the change had occured two years ago at Yag'Dhul…

The shuttle touched down and he and Kira stepped out onto the landing pad under the driving rain. A speeder came flying up at high speed from the direction of the Officer's quarters, and outstepped the Duros commander of Fort Carrick, Colonel Vanto Vasmar. Vasmar had a rain shield hovering just above his head and he touched a button on its underbelly to expand its girth over the Jedi and Taneer.

"Masters Deo and Carson" the blue skinned, red eyed alien said with an abrupt nod. "We were not expecting you for three more days."

Kai-Kwon ignored the implied question. "This is Major Taneer T'Laht of ATIR-7".

"I fear we may not be ready for your arrival" Vasmar said turning to his speeder, and ignoring Major T'Laht. Kai-Kwon forced himself past his initial dislike of the Colonel, and turned the other way.

"Master Deo? The speeder is here" he said, pointing out the obvious. "We can ride back to my quarters for breakfast and discuss our preparations."

"I'd rather greet the troops now."

"uhh…yes." Vasmar said, unmoving.

"Is there a problem?" Kira asked.

"what's that? No, no problem…they just may be sleeping is all" he stammered nervously.

"at 0940? This is a front line post Colonel" Kira snapped.

Vasmar looked at Taneer for the first time. "You know how things go out here Major, right?" his eyes searched the tall Dornean for an ally.

He didn't find one. "Enlighten me" T'Laht sneered.

With that the three marched to the large barracks complex, the Colonel and his aide scrambling to catch up.

Inside the main corridor the group stood as Colonel Vasmar filed in, brushing the one or two errant drops off his spotless uniform. After looking expectantly at the Duros for a moment Taneer gave up and called attention in a booming voice that needed no aid. Within moments males and females of every species came bursting out their rooms, and Kai-Kwon counted three from rooms not their own, in various states of undress. They came to attention to the right of their doors and snapped off salutes of varying crispness.

After peering into the first two Kai-kwon was disheartened. Each was a mess with empty ale bottles, pazaak decks, and credits scattered across the communal table of the second room. He flashed the Devaronian male with his best impersonation of Kira's daggers look, and saw the private swallow. Taneer would not let him off so easily, flipping over the table and sending bottles crashing to the grimy floor.

"Excuse me Major" Vasmar risked from the hallway.

From room three across the hall Kai-Kwon heard Kira say, "come out…now."

The young human standing at attention in his underwear closed his eyes in nightmarish anticipation.

"I won't ask again."

"Ok, ok, please don't mess with my mind" the ignorant plea rose from the private's closet. A moment later a half-naked Zeltron ran out, picking up her clothes as she went, past an embarrassed Private and a more indignant Colonel.

They had seen all they needed to.

"Alright, listen up! I am Major Taneer T'Laht of ATIR-7," the name of the most highly decorated commando unit in the war succeeded in eliciting some awe from the assembled troopers, but not from Colonel Vasmar.

"Excuse me Major" he whined again. "But you have no right to address my men. First off, you didn't follow protocol by arriving early without the courtesy of a comm, and then you-"

As the Duros continued Taneer just looked at Kai-Kwon, who slowly nodded his head.

"-shut it! I would call you a sorry excuse for an outer rim constable Colonel but that would be a grievous insult to constables anywhere. I don't know how in the Force you were able to climb to this vaunted postion but you have lost the mission, and disgraced that uniform. You're dismissed…by order of General Armin Var-Suthra" he added over the former colonel's protest.

"Var-Suthra? What does he have to do with this? And you don't have the authority to relieve me of command a-"

"-But I do" Kira interjected, positioning herself between the two. "We have the authority to make the determination based on General Var-Suthra's suspicions of your battalion's readiness. You are to collect your things and report to the _Corellian Dawn_ by 0700 tomorrow."

Vasmar started to say something else. "That will be all" Kira bit out each word.

Once the former commander rushed out of the building with his aide Taneer turned back to the assembled troopers, all of whom had to make a conscience effort to close their mouths.

"You men and women are only partly responsible for what has happened here. But you are still partly responsible so don't think for a second you are off the hook. There is no commander who should need to tell Republic troopers to stay ready on the Mandalorian frontier. Starting tomorrow we begin preparations to take on the most capable non-Force using fighting force this galaxy has ever known. And all of you will be thanking the Force that you get to meet them with us on our terms. Because had they focused any attention on better intelligence you would have to met them here, and it would've been a massacre."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Two weeks had passed since they received word that Colonel Vasmar would be quietly accepting a supporting analysis role at Defense Command. The time on Garos had been well spent; drills, maneuvers, but most of all the reintroduction of discipline was all the troopers here really needed.

The jungle world was young on a universal scale. Which meant it was full of oxygen, bulking up its flora and fauna to gigantic proportions. Kai-Kwon stared out the floor to ceiling window at a herd of tris moving across the river that ran by the fort. The giant beasts made the deep moving river look like a shallow creek.

He turned around at the sound of a door receding into the wall. In walked Colonel Noric Gastees and Admiral Fila Dodonna. The horned Gotal was one of the Republic Army's best strategists and the human female from Chandrila was his equal when it came to naval engagements.

Kai-Kwon glanced at Kira and could see she shared his gratitude for Defense Command's seriousness in handling the Mandalorian threat. It had been over three centuries since the Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma had forever shattered the invincible mystique of the Mando'ade when he defeated Manda'lor the Invincible atop his Basilisk war machine.

The defeat had sent the Mandalorian war machine into a freefall. They gained some of their renown back under Canderous Ordo, but his allegiance to the Republic meant he was _Deshgo'ra_ , or forgotten, by the current regime.

The current Mand'alor, Artus Lok, had seized power two years ago and ended a civil war that had begun with the resumption of the so-called 'Great War". It was his alliance with the Dark Council that finally saw his bloody coup meet with success. In the short time since he had sent his war parties out, seizing conscripts and raw material, revitalizing the Mando war machine and stopping the Republic advance in the northern quadrant of the Slice.

The victory at Yag'Dhul had been everything Grand Master Shan had hoped; the shatterpoint that would turn the tide of the war. Within months of their victory there they had pushed the Empire out of the Colonies and into the Mid-Rim before running into the Mandalorian vibrosaw. But while they were able to grind the Republic's momentum to a halt near their heartland in the Northern Dependencies, they had lost all their gains in the Trailing Sectors and Western Reaches with their forces there retreating north to reinforce the Imperial homeworlds. All in all the war had turned, but it was far from over.

"Master Deo, Master Carson" the Gotal announced in his species croaking lilt. "Let's get down to business."

The plan was simple in its formation but Kai-Kwon imagined much more difficult in its execution. He reflected on its worth as he glanced up into the midday sky. A shadow passed in front of the systems M-class star and he could see the familiar outline of the _True North,_ the Turquoth YX-800 customized freighter piloted by their good friends, Azi'tivi Zanek Riggs and her husband Corso Riggs.

The Twi'lek smuggler had met the Mantellian rogue before the resumption of hostilities, when she was stuck on his home planet with a load of weapons stolen out from under her by a nefarious business partner. Eventually the two teamed up to track down her precious ship, coming to Kai-Kwon and Kira's rescue by chance as they faced down the Sith Saber Lord Tarnis in the abandoned Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Afterwards, the four became as close as Jedi and non-Jedi could be and it was the newly wedded couple who rode to their rescue again two years ago on Yag'Dhul.

And here they were again, getting ready to risk their lives in what Kai-Kwon thought was their most dangerous mission yet. He wondered briefly, as the freighter's landing struts made contact with the paved landing pad, if they were ever going to call in the payback for these life-saving favors. But as he saw the ramp come down, revealing two beaming figures shoulder to shoulder, he knew they never would. They may not wear the uniform but their past dictated they care about freedom and the Republic as much as any soldier.

"Kira!" the green skinned Rutian Twi'lek called as she moved briskly down the still lowering ramp.

The red haired Jedi moved to the bottom and held out her arms for a warm embrace.

"Master Deo" Corso said mock seriously as held out a hand. Kai-Kwon took it and wrapped his arm around the shorter human's back with his other arm.

"It's good to see you my friend" he slapped his back lightly but earnestly.

"Sorry we've been out of contact for so long…had to lie a bit low lately," Corso said sheepishly.

"trouble?" Kira asked, breaking the hug.

"Oh, just the annual threats from Rogun again" Azi answered.

"He's still after you? I wish you'd let us take care of him for you."

"You guys have enough to worry about without chasing down a two bit arms dealer," Azi answered again.

Rogun was not a two bit arms dealer as much as the pair would like to have them believe. The Iktochi was the biggest gangster in the Rim not affiliated with Black Sun or the Exchange. The two had incurred his wrath when Azi was moving the freighter full of weapons to Ord Mantell to be purchased by a local crime lord to be used by the Republic aligned planetary militia during their brutal civil war. While they got the freighter back, the nerfherder who stole it, Skavak, had already sold the weapons. The Mantellian crime lord had taken a blaster bolt to the head, leaving Azi with the bill…a bill she couldn't pay in a hundred cycles. But it had been awhile since Rogun's people had come close to the pair, and last he knew the couple had moved back to Corso's homeworld, now under peaceful Republic control.

"Well keep dodging him until we stop the empire then we can focus on that thug" Kira said to Corso, embracing him for the first time as Kai-Kwon did the same with Azi.

"No problem. Now how about we smuggle you guys into Mandalorian space?" Corso asked deviously with an arm around Kira.

Jicoln Cadera looked left to signal his good friend and ally, Bastila Ordo, that the boma they were after was foraging in the next clearing. Clearings were hard to find on Dxun. The entire moon was one giant rainforest. Its thick canopy ruled out hunting from the air, with either jet pack or the the drexels they had rangled and turned into air mounts.

"what's the plan a'lor?" the hard faced olive skinned brunette said.

He had to imagine her exquisite face with her blue and yellow helmet on. She was excited but wary. She knew as well as he did that these were the same beasts that had ended the life of Mand'alor the Indomitable…granted it took far more than one boma to fell the great _Kandosii_

The rain had picked up and was echoing off his own buy'ce as he cycled through visuals. "flank his left…flush him to me".

She gave the Mando hand signal of orders received and they exchanged thumps on the shoulder before she tore off through the jungle. He gave her a few minutes as he watched the Boma tear through the carcass of its latest kill. It was a large animal. Not the largest on the jungle moon, but big enough. It had four legs, a powerful tail, and a head encased in small tusks, all centered around a mouth that gives small children, and arutise, nightmares.

After a few more moments he drew the cortosis katana from the scabbard on his back. Unlike normal blades, or even high priced vibroblades, his katana didn't retract into its hilt for easier carrying. Most metals could be made into an ejectable blade and not lose their integrity, but doing it to a cortosis blade would be sacrilege. It was the rarest metal in the galaxy, and the only known metal a lightsaber couldn't cut through…without oscillation of course.

The entire innovation of the vibroblade was to give a soldier a close quarter chance against the Force users, since shooting at close range was…not advised. In fact, on occasion, cortosis could even knock out a lightsaber for a minute or two. But Jicoln didn't have this blade to hunt Jedi, in fact it was given to him by a Jedi.

The Boma roared. He and Bastila were hunting in traditional Mando'a style; no comms, all trust and intuition of each other's patterns. Limbs and forage began collapsing in front of him and he stood tall. The last jungle fern cracked, and was trampled to the ground as the Boma stood in front of him.

In the open space now in front of the hunter, it snorted and shook its head viciously, long saliva strands whipping to the left and right. It began circling to the right, kicking up the jungle floor with it right hoof as Jicoln circled left, his blade gleaming even in the driving rain.

Finally the beast felt Bastila behind him and loosed a concussive roar before charging full boar at the old warrior. Jicoln did not move till the last moment, when he did he deftly stepped to his right, bringing the razor sharp katana down to his left. The Boma ran by him, its legs operating on momentum and nerves, as they trampled the meter wide head that had hit the ground right in front of them.

"Good kill a'lor" Bastila said with no emotion, both blasters already holstered as she stepped through the destruction of the great beast's wake.

"quick, painless. An honorable death for an honorable animal" the deposed Manda'lor said kneeling beside the green skinned giant and resting a hand on its flank.

"Get Tarak and his boy up here to clean it…we'll survive another few days here" Jicoln uttered the last part almost to himself as he stood and cleaned his blade before returning it to its basilisk hide scabbard.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Azi felt her husband grip her hand quickly before letting it go when the ceiling hatch opened inward, and the frightening visage of two T-shaped visors peered down into the _Rogue Wind_ , formerly the _True North,_ altered for the purpose of this mission.

"Clear the way" one of the masked Mandalorians called down needlessly, before hopping down one by one, blaster rifles cradled and capes fluttering.

"Hey there fellas. Not used to seeing you guys doing picket duty" Corso said, effecting a nervousness Mandalorians had come to expect from anyone they ran across.

"ID's" the same green and gold armored commando said in through the modulated vocorder in his helmet. Mandos were known for playing up their menacing reputation and it wouldn't surprise Azi to find out this guy's voice was naturally a few octaves higher. But she and Corse handed him their readied ID's all the same.

"Yeah well, we all do our part" he said with a touch of resentment in answering his earlier question. Corso knew proud Mando'ade being commanded to check IDs for their new Imperial overlords would rub them the wrong way.

"Agamar eh?" he continued as if he was barely paying attention. "From there? Or just been living there?"

"I'm from Ord Mantell originally, but left with the rest of the Loyalist forces three years ago."

The commando nodded his head knowingly. The trick to infiltration was keeping as much truth as possible in your cover story. Corso _was_ from Ord Mantell, and had fought with the Loyalist forces. Only what he knew as Loyalist this guy would know as Republican or Separatist. Just as Corso knew his enemy as Separatist.

"And you miss…Alvamar?"

"Avlamar" she corrected the intentional mispronunciation. "Ryloth originally of course, but grew up in Hutt space. Ran away when I could. Met Jordy on Ord Mantell and we've been together ever since."

Now at this point, most amateurs trying to pass themselves off as a couple would make some move to show their affection…which is why Avi and Corso didn't even look at each other.

The lead Mando nodded slowly again as his subordinate began to nose around the galley. "So where you been living on Agamar? Calna Vuun?"

 _He tried it again!_ Oh she and Corso would have a laugh about this once they got them out of here. The Mandos must've just got a recent crash course on counter intelligence. They always had been more brawn than brains.

"I believe its Calna Muun" Corso said meekly.

"You're right, only been there once myself."

"No worries. It's not like it's our homeworld or anything. But no, we've been living in Tondatha."

"Alright" he handed the fake IDs back to them, "wait up front while we give the ship a look."

"Sure. No problem" Corso answered as they started to move up the front corridor to the cockpit. The textbook move would be to bitch and moan about the inconvenience, or at least ask how long their search would take. But with Mandalorians, an eagerness to be cooperative was expected. Anything else would raise alarms from all but a squad of commandos…or Jedi.

There act must've worked as they heard the heavy boots of the Mandalorian soldiers headed back into the galley just about five minutes later. Granted the North wasn't a large freighter, but that was still nothing more than a cursory glance.

"Alright. This transponder is good for two weeks, after that I can't promise you won't go through this procedure again".

"Alright. Thanks" Corso said accepting the small device, as Azi fixed the temp ladder into place.

With that, they were gone.

Once the Basilisk shuttle detached and pulled away, Corso took the ship forward at sublight while Azi made her way into the cabin corridor. She depressed a corner of side panel with her hand listening for the click on the other side. When it came she moved down and popped the corner of the panel. Lifting it off she found Kai-Kwon and Taneer wedged in at an…awkward angle.

"were you two sleeping? You want me to button it back up and come back in the morning?" she asked with an ear to ear grin.

"Get me out of here" Taneer grunted.

He accepted her hand and crawled out, finally standing with an exaggerated stretch. "Do you know how long Dornean legs are?" Taneer asked as he turned around to help his friend out.

"Do you know how bony Dornean knees are?" Kai-kwon asked, rubbing his ribs.

"Hey, you pink skins aren't the pinnacle of evolution either." Kai-Kwon held up his hands in mock surrender as Azi popped the corner of the panel across the corridor.

Inside was a peacefully fake sleeping Kira. She opened her eyes and stifled a yawn.

"Yeah well you get the knees on the way back" Kai-Kwon said, helping her out.

All four made it to the cockpit listening to Azi's story of the textbook faux-friendly interrogation before space reverted back to real-time.

"Welcome to Mandalorian space!" Corso spun in his seat, his arms spread wide. "Where to next?"

"Where else?" Kai-Kwon answered, sitting down himself, "Mandalore."

Bastila Ordo checked the scanners for about the tenth time in the six minutes they had been in transit. He couldn't really blame her and he appreciated her devotion to his safety, but after four months in exile Jicoln's nerves were starting to fray. Instead of chastising her he looked out at the Onderonian Vipers escorting his shuttle into Iziz, the capital of Onderon, and thought of his people.

History was vitally important to Republican society at large. Sociologists called it 'societies bulwark against nihilism and materialism'. But to Mandalorians history was religion. The deeds of your ancestors dictated your status in life. Thanks, offerings, and careful recording of those deeds were essential to the spirit of Mando society…and Jicoln Cadera was as devout as they came.

Something happened at the dawn of the Republic that scattered members of the oldest species across the stars. Even Republican anthropolgists couldn't really be sure if humans had originated on Coruscant. All we know is that is where the Republic began. With the now the laughably small number of about a hundred systems they embarked on their first conquest to the Tion Cluster, now the heart of Hutt space. Like most crucial moments in Republic history it was the Jedi, or Jed'aii as they were known then, that led the Republic to glory. _Though they would never consider it glorious today._ The Republic had lost its taste for conquest and fooled itself into thinking economic conquest was somehow more noble if it was acknowledged as 'free trade'.

Once victory had been secured, the hyperspace route named for Pax Perlemian, who had blazed it just a decade before, became the highway to new markets and goods. A large group of warriors who had fought by the Jedi in capturing the Tion were known as the Taungs, and they were growing bored of babysitting cargo up and down the Perlemian and the lack of battle this new peace had brought.

So the leader of these Taungs devised a plan. He waited until his people were asked to guard a rather large shipment and halfway to Tion they took control of the thirty ship convoy and did something unprecedented…they turned into the unknown. It wasn't until twenty-two years later that they found a planet that needed no terraforming. Just a little pacifying. That leaders name was Manda Lor and the planet he founded was named after him, as was the title of Taung leadership… _or so the story went anyway._

The bumps and jumps of atmosphere brought him mentally through time to the here and now as his Basilisk shuttle piloted by his bodyguard and confidante broke through the clouds to give him his first glimpse of Onderon since Queen Isolde granted his request from asylum four months earlier.

There were only three real cities on Onderon and Iziz, the capital was far larger than the other two. It wouldn't be called large by Core standards, but it was still a sight to behold. All three cities were surrounded by fiefdoms ruled over by different Beast Rider Clans. Onderonians had their own accepted historical narrative and however it went it ended with a small tribe of humans pacifying maybe the most dangerous planet in the galaxy.

The architecture of Iziz was a testament to those dangers. Its white outer walls rising thirty feet over the top of the jungle canopy…almost as thick as they were tall. The city's buildings were thick and squat but also beautiful with their white sandstone topped by bronze domes. However, the Onderonians had gone far past simply pacifying the beasts of Onderon, they had mastered them…and became 'the Beastriders'.

Jicoln was a Mandalorian through and through but he could appreciate the achievements of some aruetiise, or outsiders, and what the Beast Riders had accomplished was worthy of his respect. Not just in their domestication of the vicious winged beasts, the Drexl and Rupings, that they now rode as mounts, but how they had utilized them in defense of their savage world.

Three hundred years ago during the Jedi Civil War Jicoln's ancestor had led the Caldera _Alit_ under Mand'alor the Ultimate in Mandalore's failed attempt to conquer the Onderonian and their newly acquired Republican allies. The Republic's defense of the longtime Naddists and Darksiders had surprised everyone. Their invasion stalled they had set up their advance camp on the jungle moon of Dxun. _Soon the Mandalorian Conquests turned into the Jedi Civil War and they're chance to bring Onderon into the Mando'a culture was gone, not unlike Mand'alor the Ultimate's head to the traitorous Dark Jedi. Ulic Qel-Droma._

A few uncomfortable minutes later they were in a government speeder headed up the sky ramp to the Royal Palace. Jicoln absent mindedly thumped his beskar chest armor to the royal guards on either side of the twenty foot high throne room door, who brought their plasma staffs out and around to their opposite shoulder in response.

Onderon really only held two natural resources, gold and bronzium, neither of which was very rare. That fact had taken them off the radar of the outside galaxy but being left out of the Republic's economic machine had its advantages, and the Onderonians compensated for lost trade by using a great deal of their oversupply on the Royal Palace. Gold lined nearly everything in the great room, and it did more than line the forty steps that led to the high backed throne.

Onderon was a hereditary monarchy. The Crown Prince married a person of their choosing who would become Prince Consort. To put an end to their long civil war King Hamun had married his daughter off to the Beast Lord Oziru, but his ego could not handle being a "consort" and the marriage ended in bloodshed. That was centuries ago, and while the Beast Lords no longer married into the Royal Family, they were apparently allied with them against the numerous outside threats currently arrayed against them.

Isolde looked resplendent in her white and gold flecked long gown and gold sun crown. She looked generally displeased to see them, and her husband and Royal Vizier on either side of her looked acutely displeased. Jicoln thumped his beskar chest plate with a closed fist and nodded. Isolde nodded in return but looked annoyed that they had not taken a knee. Jicoln knew doing so would help his cause…but he was still a Mandalorian, and as the rightful Mand'alor he kneeled before no one.

"What brings you before me today Mandalore?" she asked using his rightful title, a sign of respect…even if it was pronounced as the planet and not its leader.

"I thank you for seeing us Queen of Onderon and its Beast Lords. I come before you again to ask your support in reclaiming Mandalore" the large middle-aged human said without lowering his eyes from the young queen.

"You have my support Mandalor Caldera" she answered with a hint of offense.

"Your martial support" he said too sharply before she could draw out her coyness any longer, "…your Highness."

"We have been through this Mandalore. The strength of Onderon's military is as a defensive force. Never have we waged a campaign out from under our own sky". She lifted her arms to the oculus at the apex of the high vaulted ceiling.

"Maybe that is why you're always rebuilding around here" Bastila bit out from just behind him.

"You will watch your tongue in the presence of the Queen!" the graying Vizier snapped.

Jicoln glanced at her but offered no rebuke. And when he turned back to the throne he found Isolde looking amused for the first time as she fingered one of the gold chains that hung low from her crown.

"She has spirit" she said lightly, almost furtively.

"She is a Mando'a" Jicoln answered.

"Yes, of course." The queen smiled lightly again before turning back to Jicoln.

"She speaks out of turn but raises a pertinent point Your Highness."

"Does she?" She drew out each letter of the question.

"She does. While you never held the allegiance of the Beast Lords barring the presence of an immediate threat, you do now. With your newfound unity you could finally meet an imminent threat away from your homeworld, and your people. Trust me, with their Mandalorian allies back the Empire will seek to consolidate their hold on the Trans-Hydian and Northern Reaches."

She tapped an index finger to her chin before replying. "I see she does make a good point. So she has brains as well as brawn…and beauty. But both you and she forget our Beastriders rely on their mounts in a planetary action."

"Your Highness, we both know you have begun seeding Drexl colonies on nearby planets. And while many of your Beast Clans use Rupings, I'm sure you can convince them to be…flexible, given the circumstances." Jicoln stepped back, indicating his petition was finished.

Another full minute of silence ensued as Queen Isolde settled her eyes on Bastila and again toyed with the thin rope chain, drawing attention to the pale skin running between her breasts. Isolde looked to her husband behind her right shoulder but he couldn't have looked more bored if he tried.

"You make a decent case Mandalore." Jicoln grimaced inside at the continued mispronunciation. "I will take your argument before my Advisory Council and you will return in a week." Jicoln managed to hide his aversion to being ordered.

"Thank you Your Highness." He turned on his heel, his cape whipping behind him.

As he and Bastila neared the large gold and bronzium door she whispered, "I'm sorry for speaking out of turn a'lor."

"Don't be. In fact, be ready to talk a lot more next week" he winked.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After two days the group in Keldabe was no closer to finding the possible location of Jicoln Cadera and his allies, and it seemed hinting around the deposed Mand'alor brought more suspicious glares than possible information. Only Kira and Taneer had seen a glimpse of Caldera, and that was in vid form near the top of the Guild Halls bounty board. Why the new Mand'alor was only offering twenty-five thousand for someone like Caldera was the real question. No one in their right mind would take a bounty that dangerous for such a paltry sum.

The "upstart bounty hunters" were headed back to the Guild tonight to try a different tact. But right now Azi, Corso, and Kai-Kwon were headed to the largest, most public cantina in Keldabe…the Oyu'baat.

The Oyu was unique for its strange mix of coreworld and outer rim décor. It had two levels. The floor level bar ran along the back wall while booths lined the north and south wall. In the center was a sunken floor that hosted a number of sabaac tables.

"I take the bar while you work your magic on the tables?" Corso said openly to his wife.

"Sounds good" she smiled.

"Good. And win some money to go with any information. After all, it's not like we're not getting paid on this job," he said light-heartedly. The noise in the busy cantina was enough to disguise most personal conversation.

"I said I would get you paid," Kai-Kwon said leaning in from behind.

"He's teasing you Kai."

"Says you," Corso said looking away before turning back with his trademark ear to ear grin.

"Up for a kri'gee Von?" Corso said, referring to the domestic ale while using Kai-Kwon's cover name.

"No thanks. I want to remember any info we get."

"truer words my friend," Corso replied before finding a space at the crowded bar, "two light Corellians!" he called out to the aqualish bartender.

Azi found a medium stakes table with a couple humans, a devaronian, and a gotal in Mandalorian armor. One of the benefits to snooping around on Mandalore was that they had long since given up being a race of beings and instead became a culture, exclusive in philosophy only.

She pulled up a seat and exchanged two thousand in credits for the opposite amount in gambling chits. She filed away the looks of overconfidence from some at the table; there was still a ridiculous perception that female Twi'leks were somehow less adept at card playing. It was a perception she had taken advantage of numerous times.

After twenty minutes she was up to a little over five thousand. She had to remind herself she wasn't here to win money, and winning too much too soon could draw unwanted attention and drive away potential informants. She threw a couple of hands over the next ten minutes and the table started to loosen up.

"So what do you do Miss Azi? I mean besides hustling honest folk out of their wages that is," one of the human Mandalorians said with his best attempt at a rakish grin.

"I run a freighter…and it's Mrs. Azi, sorry" she shrugged as she accepted the new round of hole cards.

"What are you doing in Keldabe then?" the human asked, clearly put off by the Twi'lek's rebuff.

"Looking for work. Size of the workable galaxy is getting smaller each week. Got to try new spots," she said in reference to enforced borders between Imperial and Republic space.

"Yeah, well, Oli up there in the booth handles shipping contracts off planet…feel free to visit him as soon as possible" the Mando said gruffly, no longer interested in the married Twi'lek taking his credits.

The Mando scooted his chair over and called the Gotal's bet. Azi was about to take him up on his offer and cash out from the newly soured table. Well at least the gotal was still smiling at her but probably because he didn't understand humanoid mating and had no idea what their back and forth was all about. Ironic considering his species was empathic.

She had stood and was gathering her chips when another voice chimed in. "I might have a job for you" the horned devaronian said without looking up from his hole cards.

"Alright, well, maybe I'll come back over after I talk to Oli," she said, not wanting to seem too eager.

"Sit down please. If you don't like it Oli will still be up there…I think he sleeps in that booth." He patted the chair next to him and smiled. Azi chuckled and sat down.

"Alright…"

"Zimmi Bu'Roc" he offered his right hand while splashing chips with his left.

She took it. "Azi Zanek-Riggs."

"Yeah, I got it. Don't flatter yourself. Those headtails would need to be horns to catch my eye."

"No offense right?" Azi laughed.

"Hey it's not like you chose to be born without horns," the red-skinned scoundrel said sardonically.

Azi liked this guy.

"So what's the job?"

"A blue milk run to Belderone-stang! I fold," he cursed, tossing his cards out of the field generator in front of him and into the communal one in the center of the table.

"Nothing is a blue milk on that part of the Salin Corridor." She said, sticking to the ploy of turning down every job offer out of rumored danger.

Zimmi turned in his chair to face her. "So you heard that too?" the alien rubbed his strong chin.

"Friend of a friend lost his cargo to some hitters he said were dressed as Mandos."

"Mandos eh? Could be regular pirates playing dress up, capitalizing on this part of space."

"Could be the old Mand'alor Caldera. Either way, find someone else to make that run," she said nonchalantly, making a move to stand up.

"Bantha poodoo!" the human Mando who hadn't spoken to Azi before blurted out at the mere mention of the deposed chieftain. "Caldera is killing womp rats in the Coruscant Works," he laughed, and his companion joined him.

"Deal me out for a hand" Zimmi said to the droid dealer. As he stood up he motioned for Azi to walk with him.

Once they were far enough away from the tables he turned to face her. "You could be right about Caldera."

"What? You don't believe he is killing pests in the underworld?"

He waved away her question. "Bluster. Caldera is a lot of things and an honorable Mando is one. He would never leave Mandalorian space. But that doesn't change the fact that this job is worth it…and I can provide the necessary security if he is somewhere along that route picking off cargo ships."

Azi gave a dubious look. "What's the cargo anyway?"

"Medical supplies," he said too quickly.

"Medical supplies?" she asked suspiciously.

He looked away quickly and then back again. "Alright, stolen medical supplies…what's it matter?"

"It doesn't. Honest business partners do." She looked over to Corso and Kai-Kwon, fully immersed in their own conversation. "Let me think about it. Will you be here tomorrow night?"

"I can be."

"Alright, be. I'll see you then." With that they shook hands and she made her way back to her boys with a little pep in her step.

She walked up a level to the bar and took the ale out of her husband's hand.

"Hheeyyy" he slurred a bit.

"Got our first real lead" she said before taking a sip. Her face soured. "By the Force what it that?"

"Kri'vee gooonnneeee" Corso howled playfully as Kai-Kwon laughed.

"Does he mean Kri'gee Von?" she asked the disguised Jedi who could only nod through his laughter.

"Oh stars, it's going to be a long night." She took another sip, "ohh that is dreadful! How many has he had?"

Kai-Kwon held up his index finger. A female Zabrak approached the Jedi in a pilot disguise and he rebuffed her gently. Nothing could disguise the fact that the Jedi was magnetic.

After the hopeful suitor went back to her table Azi flashed him a smile. "Lucky Kira is one of our bounty hunters," she said with a tsk-tsk.

"Kira is too good of a Jedi to get jealous".

"Unlike you?" She pressed as Corso leered at them both.

"…unlike me," he answered before sipping his pale ale.

"So what's our next play?" Corso asked, changing subjects for his friend.

"Find out where a couple hundred Mandos could be hiding along the Salin. I need to do some research back at the ship." She took the dark, thick, ale and handed it to a passing cleaning droid before taking her husband's pouty face in her hands and giving him a kiss as reimbursement.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Kira and Taneer entered Cikartan's Bounty Hall and Cantina. For the third night in a row they glanced over at the big board to see Jicoln Caldera's menacing visage…still unclaimed. Kira was wearing her now trademark red bantha leather jacket and black pants. Her formerly auburn hair was dyed black with a red streak that hung down the side of her face. Taneer wore a blue sleeveless tunic, the kind famously used by bounty hunters hiding a blaster rifle and sometimes a disguised Jedi, with a wide brimmed hat pulled low. Both carried dual blaster pistols on each hip but where Taneer carried a sniper rifle across his back Kira held a retractable vibro pike.

They sauntered up to the bar to order a drink while they perused the night's crowd. They had both grown tired of waiting for someone to take the Caldera bounty and had decided to force the issue. They knew taking the bounty would bring down a lot of unwanted attention, but that attention was going to come anyway the longer they hung around Keldabe doing nothing.

Kira pushed back the empty glass from her first round and nodded at Taneer for the go ahead to put down their marker when another two glasses of ale materialized in front of them. After seeing Kira's expression, the selkath did his best to shrug.

"From the group at the end of the bar" he said in his low watery voice.

Kira flashed a nervous look down the long bar only to see a smiling human male walking toward them. Her nerves settled but her annoyance increased. _Another ladies man._

The man stopped in front of them and smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, I'm not hitting on your woman," the Mando said sincerely.

"She's not my woman, she's my partner…and I'm not the one you should worry about," the dornean said from under his brim as he turned back towards the bar and his new drink.

"Fair enough," he shrugged.

Kira decided to cut through the formalities. "Thanks for the drink, now, can we help you?"

"Straight to it, that's fair too. I'm just curious as to what you guys are doing here?" He held his hands out. "I'm not accusing you of anything. We're just pretty familiar with all the hunters and…"

"You've never seen either of us" Taneer said still looking at the vid screens above the bar.

"…and we've never seen either of you" he confirmed.

Taneer turned and nodded imperceptibly at Kira. This wasn't how they drew it up, but if they could get in good with some of the regulars they may not need to commit the drastic measure of being two rookies who claim the most dangerous bounty in Mandalorian space.

"You wouldn't have. We're new to the guilds," she said as quietly as she could while still being heard.

"And you're starting with Mandalorian bounties?" he asked trying to keep the patronization out of his voice.

"I said we were new to the Guilds, not fighting." Kira snapped.

The still unnamed Mando stared on, obviously waiting for an explanation. Taneer obliged him by turning around.

"We fought in the war…special forces."

The human looked at the green skinned alien and put it together, "you're Republic deserters?"

"You want to say that a little louder?" Kira snapped again.

He eyed the two suspiciously for a few moments. "I apologize. However, dishonorable the act may be I'm sure you had your reasons."

"Thanks, and that's rich coming from a civilization of merc-"

"-that's enough," Kira said cutting Taneer off before they dug themselves a hole they couldn't get out of.

"I meant that in the most general way possible."

He held out a gauntleted hand. "I'm Adeus Liserata."

After a moment Taneer grasped his forearm. "Taneer. This is Tasha," he indicated Kira by her cover name, a nod to a pre-Republic Jedi, and they traded the simple greeting gesture. With their cover story being commando deserters they felt no need to give Taneer a cover name.

"So why haven't you put down a marker?"

The two undercover operatives traded a knowing glance; this was the original plan. Might as well go ahead with it.

"We were waiting to see if anyone took the Caldera bounty," she nodded at the log board.

Adeus turned around briefly before turning back at his new acquaintances. "Ha! Add two zeros to the end of that bounty and then maybe…but only maybe."

Taneer picked up his ale. "Some things are more important than credits," he said over the rim of the mug.

The Mando smiled conspiratorially. "There are easier ways to make a name for yourself."

"Not for the name we're trying to make," Kira added quickly.

"And since we're being honest, Adeus Liserata isn't a name on the lips of anyone…yet."

"Ahh…I see…so you want to what? Combine forces to take down one of the most dangerous bounty in the galaxy?" Adeus asked the question sardonically but they could both see he was already considering it.

"We're looking to make a splash, not go out in a blaze of glory," Taneer said with a half-grin, showing his race's trademark fangs.

"I'm surprised to hear you say that about the disgraced Mand'alor," Kira said, ignoring the give and take between the two men.

Adeus looked at her now. "Caldera backed the wrong akk, doesn't mean anyone here respects his prowess as a warrior any less."

"Yeah, well, we're talking to different Mandalorians then," Kira muttered before sensing a hot flash of something from Adeus; _anger? Resentment?_ Whatever it was it was gone a moment later.

"Ego of youth," he said finally.

"Maybe."

After a silent moment he said, "that bounty isn't going anywhere. Let me talk to my people and we'll talk again tomorrow night, fair?"

"Fair." Taneer replied for them both. Of course whether Adeus decided to take the bounty or not, the seed was planted to at least extract everything he knew about the former Mand'alor.

"Re'turcye mhi aru'tiise." Adeus uttered the Mando'a parting to outsiders with a closed fist over his heart before disappearing back into the crowd.

Kira and Taneer didn't want to be in a hurry after their first breakthrough, so they sat and enjoyed another drink before finally exiting Cikartans. They stepped out into a frigid night. The first weeks of Fall were upon the northern hemisphere of Mandalore and Kira could see faint whisps of her breath as they moved down into a side alley that provided a short cut to their hostel.

"So what do you think? Was he on the level?" Taneer asked.

She looked at him earnestly. "You think he wasn't?"

Taneer shrugged. "He sure perked up when we mentioned Caldera."

Kira hadn't sensed anything but honest surprise, but Taneer was the expert on reading people and undercover work. In fact, if it wasn't for the Force Kira would be lost when it came to the subtlety of body language and 'reading between the lines'. For generations the Order's intelligence gathering and undercover work had been done by their devoted allies in the Antarian Rangers, and when their goals aligned, the RIS (Republic Intelligence Service).

"Maybe he was just surprised at two upstarts going after a target like Caldera?"

"Yeah maybe," he muttered.

Had it not been for Taneer's suspicion Kira wouldn't have probed the alley ahead with her Force sense. And had she not done that, she wouldn't have drawn her vibro pike off her back in time to cut the shock net that attempted to swallow her like some Felucian stara trap. She pinpointed its point of origin from the roof to her left, and the telltale orange eyes of a powering jet pack winked before a Mandalorian in full armor flew towards her. He maneuvered just feet in front of her, bringing both armored boots crashing into her chest. She went flying back to the dirty alley floor.

She rose quickly to see the Mandalorian who was no doubt Viserata, draw a beskar katana. She looked to Taneer who was struggling unsuccessfully in the shock net before two more Mandos flew low into the alley and used something to hook the painful trap, barely slowing down before Taneer was lifted into the night sky without so much as a "good luck". She marveled at the Mandalorian skill even as she twirled her vibro blade into a Djem So stance. Jet pack technology was fairly common, using it as proficiently as Mandalorians did was certainly not.

"Didn't think it was Mandalorian to ambush an inferior force?" she taunted more than asked honestly as they closed the distance between each other.

He hesitated briefly. "You're right. It's not. But we're in danger and…not so sure of your inferiority."

 _Did he know?_ He was on her. Lightning fast slashes came from her left and right. She was able to deflect them but her sternum felt like it had collapsed from his jet powered drop kick and the pain prevented her from moving back to block the overhead strike she knew was coming…only she was met by a fist instead, which she took on the chin.

She stumbled back and knew she had to shift the momentum; she feigned a swing and dropped down, sweeping Viserata's legs out from under him. But the armored warrior deftly rolled out of the way of the blunt end of her staff as she brought it down where he had just been.

The two rose back to their feet and began trading blows again. Back and forth they moved down the alley. Out of the corner of her eye Kira saw an old woman move out of the back stoop of one of the alley's buildings. Kira couldn't help but notice the coolness of the old woman as she continued lighting her cigarra and leaned against the building to watch the fight, rather than running back inside or calling for security.

Viserata swung from his left and followed it with a roundhouse punch, which landed across Kira's left eye. Again he pressed with hands and feet rather than his katana. Blood trickled into her right eye. _If he suspected she was a Jedi it was time to confirm it._

As he moved in again she feigned a block of his next swing and instead front flipped over him, raking the blunt end of her staff across his helmet. She took advantage of his disorientation, kicking off the grimey wall next to her and bringing her plant foot across his helmet again. He fell into a sanitation bin but again was too quick as her staff came down on the same bin but the Mando had already rolled off.

They both shook the cobwebs as they circled back towards each other. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the old woman throw down and stamp out her cigarra before waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. Before Kira could put it together she felt a sharp prick in her neck. Within seconds her vision began to cloud. The last thing she heard or saw was Viserata say "sorry."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Azi's eyes were starting to hurt from focusing on the data screen. Corso was out almost before his head hit the pillow…and now he was starting to snore…loudly. Knowing about Caldera's loyalty to Mandalore and his passion for history, she was searching the datanet for significant places in Mandalorian history along the Salin Corridor. So far all she found was minor victories at Lucazec, Phindar, and Centares during the Mandalorian Wars over three centuries ago. But those worlds had been firmly in Mandalorian hands since then and none presented an opportunity to hide a force in triple digits.

 _What am I doing? I got a Jedi a cabin over._ She got up and put on her robe.

She gasped as she opened the door into Kai-Kwon's room. The shirtless Jedi was floating four feet off the floor in a sitting position. He never opened his eyes, but gently floated back down to the floor. Once he was no longer defying gravity he opened an eye towards the intruder.

She held out her hand in a placating gesture, "I'm sorry Kai, I should've chimed."

He rose, holding out a hand dismissively. "It's alright, I couldn't sleep."

"What was that?" she asked still amazed. She had seen the Jedi do quite a lot but he and Kira could still manage to shock her on a daily basis.

"Rising meditation…just an advanced form," he said as modestly as he could manage. "Anyway, what's up?"

"Yeah, uh, well…I was looking for anything in Mandalorian history that could give us a clue as to where Caldera is, but all I can find is a couple of minor victories on what are now populated Mando worlds." They sat down on the foot of the bed and she handed him the datapad.

An hour went by and they were no closer to a good answer. She had come up with the idea to start looking for significant defeats. Given Caldera's current state he may find some comfort in their similarities.

"Wait a minute," Kai-Kwon said with a look of dawning revelation.

"Jicoln Caldera is a loyal Mandalorian…but he's also a loyal Republican ally…give me that for a second," he said taking the datapad from her grasp.

He flipped through screens for half a minute. "Yes! Here!" he said excitedly, showing her the screen.

"Dxun?" she asked unsure if she even pronounced it right.

"Dxun," he reaffirmed.

"It's one of the moons of Onderon. Home of the Beast Riders and one of only a handful of independent systems in Mando space. During the Wars the Mando army used it as a forward base for their invasion of Onderon. While there they were visited by the Jedi Revan…and well long story short, it's where a number of Mandalorian clans, including the Caldera Clan, first allied with the Rep…," he stood quickly.

"Kai? What is it?

She stood up as well. "Kai?!"

Finally he turned to look at her, his eyes desperate, "it's Kira. She's in trouble."

Kira's vision came back in an explosion of pinwheels as her head swum from the intoxicated dream state that had her riding on the back of a Brith through the skies of Dantooine, to the reality of the artificially lit warehouse where she saw a sneering Taneer facing down the barrel of a DL-44 blaster pistol. Her memory returned in an instant and she found her hands bound, but in front of her, _they would pay for that._

Without thinking she reached out, manipulating the air around the blaster. Using the Force like a hook, she pulled slightly and the blaster flew out of the Mandalorians hand and into her own. She rose quickly.

"Key! Now!" she hissed, but the human just stood there with a dumbfounded look.

She felt a presence behind her, and wheeled on the door…There were two more armed Mandos moving in quickly and… _the old woman from the alley?_

Kira squeezed the trigger at the first warrior moving towards her, but the blaster did not respond. She squeezed again. Still nothing.

"That's quite enough," the old woman said, motioning impatiently from behind her escort.

Kira checked the blaster and found it had no power. She turned back to the interrogator for an answer and found him only smirking.

"I'm sorry for the ruse, but we had to be sure you were who we thought you were," the old woman said, finally coming to a stop right in front of a visibly confused Kira. He face was tanned, weathered, and scarred. Her greying brown hair in short braids. She turned to Taneer but he only shrugged, his hands still bound behind him in the chair.

"And who did you think we were"?

"Him," she indicated Taneer, "not sure. But you, Jedi. Specifically, the Jedi Kira Carson".

She read Kira's expression with a wry chuckle. "You lot need to come down from your marble tower more often, you're far more recognizable then you think".

Kira handed the blaster back to the weequay Mando who stepped forward.

"Okay, so you know me. Now, who are you"?

"I have another question first," she said over the end of her query. "What do you want with Jicoln"?

Kira gave Taneer another glance and he gave her a 'why not' shrug. "We want to help him retake Mandalore".

The old woman stared at Kira for what seemed an eternity. Finally she spoke again. "I'm Sokoa Skirata," she offered her forearm and Kira took it. "Jicoln's mother-in-law".

Before she could ask her to unbind Taneer there was a static burst from the human interrogator's wrist comm, "Ivalo, we have troub-," the comm cut back to static.

She had been so distracted by the remnants of the drugs in her system and the confusion of the situation, she hadn't felt Kai-Kwon's presence. But now it burned like the sun just outside the warehouse door. She sent him a reassuring feeling through the Force but it was too late, the door Sokoa and her bodyguards had just entered flew into the warehouse off its hinges, an armored human flying with it. Through the demolished opening stepped a menacing looking Kai-Kwon followed by a somewhat shocked looking Azi and Corso.

"Kira! What's going on?" he asked, unhooking his lightsaber but leaving it off.

Sokoa and her people still seemed to be on the verge of attacking themselves before Kira spoke up. "it's alright Kai-Kwon, they're allies".

Kai-kwon looked unconvinced, but rehooked his lightsaber hilt to his belt. Sokoa waved her weequay over to Taneer and her human guard over to their unconscious comrade somewhere underneath the Force blasted door. "As I was just saying Jedi Deo, we are Jicoln's intelligence network here on Mandalore. We thought she may be Kira Carson but we couldn't be sure, and they were talking about going after Jicoln."

She saw Kai-Kwon's dubious look, "…I'm sorry, but we had to be sure".

"Ever thought of asking?" he snapped as he walked by her, and helped a still woozy Taneer to his feet.

"Ha! And give away the element of surprise if they weren't? My duty to my son-in-law comes far before your hurt feelings or temporary discomfort". The old woman had found her confidence again Kira saw. This was their chance, she couldn't let it be blown up because of Kai-Kwon's temper.

"She's right. It was the prudent move".

"traitor," Taneer muttered. Rubbing his head before flashing his trademark toothy grin.

The levity was what Kai-Kwon needed to snap him out of his fear and anger… _fear and anger caused by me, and our closeness,_ Kira thought ruefully.

After a moment he found his center and walked back to Sokoa. "I apologize. But just as you couldn't know about Kira and Taneer, I could not know about you".

"No you couldn't…and I hope we can move on from here as allies," she held out her forearm to the strapping Jedi and he grasped it without hesitation.

As they continued talking Azi and Corso moved around to Kira and Taneer.

She gave Kira a quick hug and a knowing look. "Did he kill anyone?" She asked under her breath.

"Not as long as he doesn't drop dead from a brain hemorrhage in an hour," Azi said motioning to the Mandalorian being helped up from the pile of debris. "The only other guard was outside in the alley and he landed on him with just a boot to the head".

Kira nodded. "Good".

"But I'd hate to see what he does to the ones who really do hurt you one day," she looked over her shoulder and they both watched Kai-Kwon. The moment of fear had passed and he was his normal patient and compassionate self again.

"So would I," Kira finally muttered. "So would I".


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It had taken half a day for Kira, the Jedi the Mandos trusted the most…for obvious reasons, to relay the Republic's plan to overthrow Artus Lok and replace him with Jicoln Cadera. It took another full day for Sokoa to relay that info by a pinball comm to Dxun. In the meantime she wanted to make it clear they had not been sitting in the jungle waiting for rescue. They had disrupted Imperial shipping, and the last she spoke to her son-in-law he believed he was close to formalizing a military alliance with the Onderonians. Kira assuaged her Mandalorian pride and before long they were laughing and talking like old friends. For his part Kai-Kwon did his best to smooth ruffled feathers, but as the old saying went, you didn't get a second chance to feel the Force for the first time.

Eventually Cadera's multi-rerouted reply came back in the affirmative, and the parties began shutting down the safehouse. Kia-Kwon pulled Kira aside. "Seems like you two got on pretty well," he said a bit wryly.

She didn't smile back, in fact she seemed troubled. "Kai, I'm not sure.."

"-hey, we're ready," Skirata's grandson Kalo called out from across the room.

"..let's talk later," she said. The trouble with Jedi couples is he knew exactly what she wanted to say despite how hard she was working to keep it from him.

"We will, but in the meantime I want you and Taneer to volunteer to fly with them," he said as quietly as possible without looking suspicious.

Kira looked puzzled but nodded after a moment. "ookay, but can I ask why?"

"I can't say for certain. It's not that I don't trust them but I sense a disturbance in the Force," he answered with a distant look.

Kira looked away awkwardly. "Kai, that could be because of how I feel right n-"

"-No. It has nothing to do with us. It's something elsewhere…elusive."

Kira looked at him uneasily but nodded. She knew better than to question his Force instinct.

Finally Sokoa walked over to join them. "Ten minutes apart sound good? Meet at B-22 yeah?"

Kira flashed one more look at Kai-Kwon before turning around and grabbing the Clan Skirata matriarch by the shoulder. "Actually we can do better than that".

A day later both ships were cruising along the Salin Corridor about five hours apart. Kai-Kwon finished meditating and made his way to the cockpit where he found Azi reading and Corso sleeping with his legs up on the sub-space console, not needed while in hyperspace.

"Either eating or sleeping isn't he?" the Jedi nodded at the lightly snoring Mantellian with a chortle.

"Yeah, he's getting rather expensive".

"Ha. Who're you kidding?"

She looked up from her datapad and across at the lump next to her, "yeah, you're right. I think I'll keep 'em".

Kai-Kwon was thinking of something else to add about how much they both meant to him when the ship ran into a brick wall…or at least that's what it felt like. Corso went flying into the top of the cockpit just above the trans-paristeel viewscreen. Azi's datapad did fly into the viewscreen and she was slammed against her harness as the inertial dampeners whined with the effort of trying to stabilize the ship and keep the organic beings inside from becoming a thick paste across the bulkheads. Kai-Kwon, who had been gripping the sides of the cockpit threshold, had to call on the Force to supplement his arm strength in holding on. Finally the ship settled in to its new normal, and Corso crumbled to the floor. Kai-Kwon helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Azi asked concerned as Corso retook his co-pilots seat.

"I'll be fine. Are you getting anything?" he replied just as concerned.

Azi sat back in her seat. "Yeah".

Corso turned back to the long range scanner.

"No need." Azi said dejectedly, pointing to the ship's two o' clock.

"Oh no."

"Who is it?" Kai-Kwon asked from in between them both.

Azi and Corso looked at each other from behind him before answering together. "Rogun the Butcher".

Kai-Kwon looked at the menacing ship hanging just half a million kilometers off their starboard bow. There was no chance of gunning their way out of this. Rogun's flagship, _Star Skinner,_ was just a notch below an Imperial frigate in terms of firepower. It's long bow and squat stern could just be made out in the light of the M-class star that loomed like a bolo ball in the unnamed system behind him.

The cockpit lights returned. "Systems back, boys give me three minutes".

He jumped out of his seat and made to push past Kai-Kwon. "Where are you going?"

"The nests, come on". He grabbed him by the shoulder to pull him with.

"Forget that, we need-"

" _True North_ this is _Kala Vera_ prepare to be boarded. Just because you don't see our interdictors doesn't meant they aren't still here. You cannot jump and you cannot beat us," the voice, which was obviously from one of Rogun's weequay lackeys, boasted in heavily accented basic.

Azi turned to the boys behind her and shrugged, out of ideas.

"What would you normally do in this situation?"

"Run," she answered without hesitation and Corso nodded, standing next to her. "Rogun knows that we know he'll kill us, why let him do it up close?"

"Ok, say that," Kai-Kwon said calmly, ignoring their confused expressions. Another nod to the comm and Azi turned her seat towards it. "Why should we heave to? You're just here to kill us. Why make it easy on you?"

The voice changed and this time there was no question who it was. "It would be easy for us either way lapdancer, but if I wanted to kill you we wouldn't be talking right now. Don't flatter yourself by thinking I would waste my time out of some need to look you in the eyes when I end your life".

Kai-Kwon could see the reference to her past life stung the Twi'lek captain and she looked a little shaken as she said meekly, "standing by for boarding".


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The Mandalorian pilot had finally found one of the few spots with a canopy opening wide enough for the D-5 Mantis and a few moments later Kira was planting her booted feet on the almost spongy, jungle ground.

"How far out did the landing take us?" Taneer asked Sokoa as she descended the ramp.

"Not far. Maybe four klicks" she answered, pretty nonchalantly for a seventy year old woman.

"Not far?" Taneer mouthed to Kira who smiled in return.

"Mandos" She mouthed herself.

He chuckled to himself. "Should we wait for the others?" He asked the Mandos.

"How far behind did they start?" Sokoa asked.

"About a half an hour, but they had the faster ship," Taneer answered.

"But Kai-Kwon didn't want to arrive in system first, I'd guess they'll be here sometime within the hour".

Sokoa thought for a moment and then went to speak, but one of her men, Holdan, spoke up first. "The walk can be grueling and with the heat. I think it's best to get started. I'll stay behind and we'll meet you at camp".

Sokoa looked like she was about to chastise him for speaking for her, but his idea was a reasonable one.

Kira looked to Taneer who also shrugged in agreement.

"Alright, let's get started then".

An hour into the walk Kira could see why Cadera would choose Dxun. Mandalorian nostalgia aside, the moon was one giant rainforest. A trek that would take an hour on Garos, no prairie planet itself, took five on Dxun. Kira was reflecting on this impassability as she climbed over another giant tree, fallen decades ago and covered in a thick hairy moss.

On top of it all, the heat was sweltering to the point of being nearly unbearable. Even leaving her robe and outer vest at the ship was making little difference to her comfort level. She could use the Force simply enough to make the walk easier, but the Force should never be used so trivially. However, she would enter a meditation trance when they got to camp and bring her core temperature down.

Kira was so focused on not using the Force that she didn't feel Sokoa sidle up to him and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "What is it?" she asked warily.

The old woman bent down and picked up a rock. She tossed it underhand just a meter in front of Kira when a series of vines exploded from the canopy above to grab the rock out of mid-air before retracting up and back into the pod they had appeared from. The strange fauna moved and shifted for a moment before the vines sprang out again, this time throwing the rock back down to the ground at breakneck speed.

"Fierfek, what is that thing?" Taneer asked from behind them.

Sokoa shot Kira a crooked grin. "It's a crasna, watch where you step".

"I will now," Taneer muttered.

"Thank you Sokoa," Kira said, still marveling at the carnivorous plant above.

"Of course. I'd hate to see their name changed to a Dxun Jedi Trap," she answered as her people chuckled.

Another half hour later she was seriously reconsidering the triviality of using the Force on this forsaken moon when she felt something stir inside the cosmic energy field. It was life, but didn't seem intelligent…it just seemed…hungry. She looked up for another crasna and then to Taneer, whose training provided him nearly as much warning as the Force. He made to call out a warning to the Mandalorians nearby but saw Sokoa backing up slowly, her hand on her katana hilt.

The jungle had gone completely still, only the insects remained, when suddenly it erupted from Kira's right. She ignited half her saber staff just in time, as the giant red reptile barreled down on her. Kira side stepped it brought and her lightsaber down across its back…and watched as the blade barely made a cut. The beast only growled as it continued past the bewildered Jedi. Taneer, seeing her failure, dropped down and brought his vibroblade around in an attempt to cut off the beast's front legs, only to find his blade dull against its armored knees. It turned its razor sharp jaw, attached to a head obscured by an armored canopy, towards him but the Mandalorians steady stream of blaster fire forced it onward.

Now it was charging at Sokoa, who still stood calmly with her fingers on the butt of her katana as her entourage drew down on the beast at close range from either side of her. Their fire kept it on a collision course for the matriarch, and when it got close enough it reared back its head an opened its thick maw.

In one smooth motion, Sokoa drew her blade, dropped down, and thrust it forward and up, piercing the soft underside of the animal's jaw. The predator's momentum took it up and over the small gray haired woman. Everyone quickly rushed forward to push the dead reptile off of Sokoa, who was now covered in a purplish blood and laughing hysterically. Her men joined her in the fiendish chorus as they helped her to her feet.

"Didn't plan on bagging my first zakkeg when I woke up this morning, how bout you?" She barked. The white of her teeth and eyes contrasting sharply with her blood covered face.

The sight of this woman, who by galactic norms should be sitting on a porch with a young grandchild in her lap going through family holograms, covered in a dangerous beasts blood and laughing hysterically, was too much for Taneer, who erupted in laughter himself, joined shortly afterward by the stunned Jedi.

It wasn't long after the zakkeg experience that they heard a series of coos from up in a tree. They looked up to find a shirtless, and heavily bearded Mandalorian, making his way down branch by branch.

"Su cuy'gar verda" the man announced as he clasped forearms with some of Sokoa's retinue. Kira knew it was the warriors greeting among Mandos.

"What happened to you?" he asked Sokoa.

"zakkeg" the warrior named Esok answered for her, trying to suppress a grin.

The shirtless warrior smiled broadly. "You always were an atin rugla woman," he said before embracing her fully.

Taneer looked to Kira, "what's atin rugla?" he asked quietly.

"old and stubborn," she replied in kind.

The dornean could only nod. It may have been said in jest but it was definitely true.

Sokoa finally broke the embrace but kept her hands on the man's shoulders. "Where's your beskargam?" she asked, a little concerned.

The man did seem to hang his head a little. "We ran out of power cells for the cooling system…we were burning up".

"mmm-huh…this is wartime Ba'rin, I bet your father isn't walking around camp naked," she said with mild reproach, but more than a hint of love as well.

"No, of course not…you're right," he looked up at her again.

"Well it's just good to see you anyway". She brought his forehead down to her and kissed it.

Another warrior, Olar, leaned in and slapped the young man on the shoulder. "We brought power cells brother".

"Cells for your shavers too, you can get rid of that baby beard," the last Mando, Herik, added with a laugh.

"Good brother. We can use it all. Father is in the middle of negotiating an alliance with the Onderonians and doesn't want to undermine our position by asking for non-essentials".

The four nodded their understanding before Ba'rin turned his attention to the three outsiders standing off to the side. "These are them?" he asked walking over with Sokoa just behind him.

"Yes. Major Taneer T'laht, Jedi Master Kira Carson, allow me to introduce you to my grandson, Ba'rin Cadera".


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Kai-Kwon placed his lightsaber in a tool kit rack along the back wall of the axis hub as he heard the access tube clamp around the outer hatch. He had already slipped out of his Jedi robe and tunic and back into the dark grey armor he had worn on Mandalore.

He waited in front of his "charges" like any good bodyguard would do as they all stood in front of the axis hub's navigation table, facing the hatch as it hissed open. A weequay, with their black eyes and creased face, stepped through the hatch first jabbing his blaster rifle while uttering a few words in his native guttural language. Kai-Kwon held his arms out and stepped back, taking Azi and Corso with him. Another weequay stepped through with a rebreather that worried Kai-Kwon a bit. He had had few dealings with the species but knew they made cannon fodder for many pirates and smugglers throughout the galaxy. They were one of the handful of races that never evolved past tribal warfare on their home planet, even with intervention from the Republic.

After the second weequay came through, a falleen, in finer vestments but still wielding a blaster pistol, stepped through. Now the rebreathers made sense. Their use of pheromonic persuasion meant Kai-Kwon would have to deal with him first.

 _Too late_. He could already feel himself relaxing. A sense of calm and peace flooded through him and he turned to see Corso smiling the grin of man who had just smoked ryll spice. The pheromones of the tall reptilians affected nearly every species in the galaxy, including Jedi, and the last thing Kai-Kwon wanted to do right now was anything violent. He started to use the Force to help him focus past the chemical control.

"yyouu" Azi said languidly from behind him as a red skinned devaronian with rebreather in place stepped through the hatch unarmed with a large iktochi behind him, a being so sure of his position he hadn't bothered to swap his fifty thousand credit shimmersilk tunic for a piece of armor. Which meant he could only be Rogun the Butcher.

The devaronian from the Keldabe casino looked up with a fiendish smile that could be seen clearly through the flimsiplast breath mask.

"Good to see you again captain. I'd like to introduce you to my employer Ro-" he began, his voice modulated, before Azi cut him off.

"-I know who he is, nerfherder" Azi pointed angrily as she swayed into Kai-Kwon.

"So why don't you tell your man here to cut off his feel good sweat so we can talk business?"

"Who is this human?" Rogun said still seeming disinterested.

"My bodyguard. Who I hired after I heard you blamed me for Skavak stealing my ship and selling your goods".

Kai-Kwon got the feeling that if it hadn't been for the pheromones Azi would already have us in the middle of a blaster fight.

"Well then my friend, you took the wrong contract" the big crime lord chuckled mirthlessly.

The devaronian took charge and barked some orders to the weequay in huttese, and they hurried up the bow corridor to the cockpit… _step 1._

The Jedi glanced surreptitiously out his peripheral vision to make sure Azi and Corso were lucid enough to remember the basics of the plan and not blurt out anything to turn the weequay around...they were.

Once they were gone Rogun turned back to the trio. "I'm sorry our business relationship has to end this way, but it does."

He snapped his finger and the devaronian and falleen lifted their blasters. Kai-Kwon spread his arms in an attempt to huddle his clients behind him.

"You said you just wanted the ship! You don't have to kill us Rogun! Let us take the escape pod, give us a chance!" Azi yelled from over Kai-Kwon's armor plated shoulder.

Rogun turned around at the hatch and walked back to stand in between his two lackeys. "I would my dear, really, but in this business all that sets one apart from his competitors is…reputation," he sneered.

"You understand." It wasn't a question. And with it he turned back to the hatch.

"We have Nok Drayens treasure" Corso blurted out. _Step 2._

The composed crime lord snapped back around too quickly, his short head tails whipping around like a noble woman's ear jewelry.

After a moment he found his composure again…and laughed, deeply. "Nice try, but if you had a next time I would've advised a bit more realism."

"It's true," Azi said defeatedly. "It was the reason Skavak stole the shipment in the first place. He had a connection to his daughter and he used the proceeds from the weapons sale to find Drayen's cache…at least he intended to before we stopped him on Coruscant. After that we partnered with Risha, his daughter, and found the treasure a few months later in a hollowed out asteroid near the Rishi Maze".

Kai-Kwon could see Rogun's eyes brighten with these details, in no small part because every word Azi just said was the truth.

 _C'mon, c'mon…bite_ Kai-Kwon willed as Rogun looked the trio over, and then suddenly he lifted an arm and placed it on the forearm of the falleen, who lowered his weapon. The devaronian did the same as Rogun walked in between them and took steps towards them.

"If you're playing with me I swear by Hadiya's bones you will beg me for a painful death, as long as death comes. Now where is this tre-shoo!" he doubled over and went flying backwards as Kai-Kwon unleashed a thunderous front kick to his sternum. Azi and Corso flew over the nav table and took cover. Both the falleen and devaronian were stunned but reacted like the trained professionals they were…had it been anyone else they would've been quick enough.

Kai-Kwon released a ball of Force energy with his right hand that sent the falleen crashing into the bulkhead hard enough to leave a dent. With his left hand he pulled the blaster pistol out of the devaronian's hand just as a bolt released. Luckily his aim wasn't perfect, and the residual energy just tore off Kai-Kwon's shoulder pauldron.

Without his blaster the devish lifted his hands in supplication as Azi and Corso moved out from behind the table, blaster's drawn.

With his partner unconscious, he ripped off his rebreather. "where'd you get a Jedi?" he asked looking nonplussed.

"Don't worry about that you ronto's backside" she sneered, bringing her other hand up to take better aim at the red skinned alien's head.

"Azi…Azi" Kai-Kwon said calmly

"…babe" Corso added to break through her rage. Azi's upbringing had filled her with an unhealthy amount of hatred for just this kind of 'galactic scum'.

Her husband did get through however and she lowered her blaster. She looked at him and nodded her understanding to Corso and her thanks to Kai-Kwon.

Rogun was starting to stir on the floor. "Get up you fat _bishwag,_ we're gonna give you the chance you wouldn't give us".

Minutes later they had forced Rogun to comm his flagship and interdictor to have them both stand down before the _True North_ made a handful of mini-jumps to a small piece of interstellar space in between two uninhabited systems, not unlike the spot where Rogun had jumped them.

As they moved Rogun into the escape pod filled with two weequays, a devaronian, and an unconscious falleen, he grabbed the portal to stop himself from being pushed in.

"I won't fit" he emphasized each word looking back at his tormentors.

"What? You never played curlicue?" Corso asked with a smile as he pressed the barrel of his blaster to the back of Rogun's bald head.

Kai-Kwon smiled despite himself thinking of the children's game that involved twisting around other beings.

Rogun turned around to go in backwards and before they shut the pod on him he said, "you better hope I die out here. Cause if I don't I will hunt down anyone you've ever said a kind word about and-"

"-no you won't" Kai-Kwon said, stepping in front of the open portal. "You should realize by now that I am not a Force sensitive bodyguard. I am a Jedi Master. My name is Kai-Kwon Deo and these two are Republic Privateers who have worked hand in hand with the Order for the last three years. On top of that, they are the closest friends I have outside the Order. I have considerable pull with the Council and if you should ever make another attempt on either of them or anyone they know I will convince the Council to take a few days out of fighting the war to destroy your entire operation. Do you understand? Nod your head if you can't speak."

The iktochi did. Almost imperceptibly, but he did.

"Good. Now try and get some sleep." With that he closed the portal and slapped the eject button, sending the tiny cylinder racing out into the dark matter of interstellar space.

The trio turned and began heading back to the cockpit. "I'll run a scan for the tracer, we'll stop on the way to Dxun and scrap it," Corso muttered.

"Kai-kwon?"

"Yes Azi?"

"Do we have to comm his ship to come and get them?"

"Yes Azi."

"Stang."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Half an hour later they passed the camp perimeter denoted by a Mando sharpshooter set up in one of the old gnarled trees that formed the jungle's canopy. Seeing Sokoa he quickly lowered his sniper rifle and keyed something on a wrist mounted datapad. A moment later a camouflaged electric force field meters in front of them dropped.

The camp was a tent city surrounded by a fairly elaborate trench network for defensive cover, and an E-web gun emplacement covering each direction. A sudden burst of coolness washed over them as they walked over the makeshift bridge and into the camp. The gentle hum of portable air coolers revealed the air's source.

 _Not much, but better than nothing_ Kira thought as she pushed her damp hair back off her face.

Ba'rin called out the traditional arrival of visitors and Mandalorians began pouring out of the large tents, or started walking over from fire pits and wood piles where they had been working or eating lunch. Children from around maybe five to ten began to crowd around Sokoa, and then Kira, asking if they could hold her lightsaber, or if she could make one of them fly. She declined both with a gentle "maybe later".

Finally they reached the largest pre-fab structure, a large dome with an entry and exit corridor extending from each side. Out of the nearest one stepped a pair of armored Mandalorians. The one trailing slightly was a hard, but attractive dark-haired woman in her early middle age. She wore light blue armor with a jet pack and portable missile launcher on her back. This was no average lieutenant. In front of her was Jicoln Cadera, who as Sokoa predicted, was clad in his dark grey armor and ignoring the sweat that was pouring down his aged but dignified face.

"Sokoa", he said and opened his arms to bring his mother in for a traditional greeting. Kira knew relative endearments like 'buirkan' for mother were not used among "aruetiise". After they shared a quick moment she led the exiled Mand'alor over to Kira and Taneer.

"Master Carson, Major T'laht, allow me to introduce Mand'alor the Crusader" she said, indicating her son with a royal sweep of her arm. Kira answered the greeting with a low bow while Taneer just just nodded. The Republican commando was still unused to seeing Mandalorians as potential allies.

"Please, won't you both follow me to my quarters. This is my First Lieutenant Bastila Ordo", he indicated the very protective looking woman off his shoulder and they began to walk.

Artus Lok had reportedly brought back some of the old ostentatiousness of the Mand'alor position from reigns prior to Jicoln's short lived one. This man, by contrast, was spartan in existence. His large pre-fab command center held a simple single bed, a desk, and a holo-table. The only decoration, if you could call it that, was a large alien skull.

As they sat in the simple chairs surrounding the central table it was Taneer who mentioned that oddity first. "who lost their head?"

Bastila looked out of reflex but Jicoln continued staring at the two newcomers. "A Sith Lord named Darth-"

"-Shattra", Kira finished for him.

He looked at her with a flash of annoyance for interrupting his moment but then smirked. "Very good. You know your history".

Kira looked to Taneer next to her, "before the Treaty of Coruscant".

"Ahh" Taneer acknowledged his ignorance on the subject. Dorneans were highly metabolic. Their average lifespan, even with the best prolong treatments, was about fifty. At thirty Taneer would've been about five when Caldera made his most famous kill, besting a Sith Lord with a beskar katana in single combat.

Kira turned back to her host. "Yes I do. The Battle of Druckenwell turned the tide of the war in our favor, and forced the Sith into their devious plan to sack Coruscant…still a little morose", she said unable to keep her disapproval to herself.

"Maybe for a Jedi" Bastila spoke her first words before Jicoln touched a hand to her arm.

"No Mand'alor, she's right. These are not my ways, but that does not make them wrong…just different. Our two sides knew that once. We never pretended to be natural allies, but it was our differences that made us strive for a galaxy where we both had room to live our own way, and we can have that galaxy if we work together", she stood and offered her flesh arm across the table.

For his part Jicoln did not hesitate before standing and taking it in his, "I agree Master Carson, but we can only achieve that if you help me first free my people from the yoke of the Empire".

"Where do we begin"?

The mood at camp turned jovial after their arrival, but Kira suspected that had more to do with Sokoa returning. The other Mandalorians, including Jicoln, crowded around the matriarch in parts reverence and eagerness to hear news from off-world.

Kira spooned the red gourd soup in her hands, the stuff was thick enough to be served on a plate.

"It's okay. You don't have to pretend to like it…I don't".

Kira looked up at the unfamiliar voice and saw a large Zabraki woman in teal armor taking a seat on the wooden bench beside her. She was only the second non-human Kira had seen with the Mandalorians. She knew that Mandalorians were culturally exclusive but ethnically inclusive. While most Mandalorians were human it was not a prerequisite. Being Mandalorian had more to do with accepting a set of ideals than anything else. She flashed a gracious smile at the stranger.

"Thanks. It's really not bad, I'm just a bit anxious" she said before putting the bowl down and looking over her shoulder at the trail they had walked up an hour and a half before.

"Don't lie to me".

Kira turned back sharply but saw a sharp toothed smile. "Your mates"? She said showing concern.

"Yes. They should be here by now. Worse I don't even feel him on Dxun yet".

"Maybe a problem with the sh-"

"-hey there you are Jedi!"

She looked up to see Taneer with a practically shirtless female Mandalorian. Gender roles were not as neatly defined here as they were in the rest of the galaxy, and a shirtless female warrior in hot weather was as common as a barechested male. Kira thought she might've thrown on the sleeveless undershirt for the sake of company. Getting closer Kira could see what looked like a small bottle in a cloth sleeve.

"Kira this is Tracyn" Taneer said with a mischievous grin.

"Did you finish your red gourd?" She asked

"You could say that" Kira answered nudging the bowl behind one foot with the other.

"Great. Now we can toast to our new alliance with the best tihar on Mandalore".

She set the three small plastic cups down on the makeshift wooden table and uncapped the liquor before looking up at Kira's new friend, "I'm sorry cousin I only brought three cups".

Akaavi held out her hands, "later for me then eh".

"Yes, later".

Kira looked at Akaavi as Tracyn handed her the cup. "You should be fine with one, but I would stop there though".

Kira nodded her thanks and stood to clink cups. She wasn't in the mood for alcohol but this was one of those times where she was here to make friends first and foremost, so she downed the clear liquid in a single gulp. She hung on as long as she could as the tingle turned into a burn that ran up her throat and finally ending in a wet cough. Taneer did the same as the two Mandalorian women laughed.

"Aruetiise" Tracyn said with a jerked thumb.

Kira was too busy choking to translate the word for outsider to Taneer.

"I will see you two later tonight yes?"

Taneer gave a thumbs up.

"You're leaving? After one drink? You wound me" Taneer feigned heartbreak.

"Yes…Bastila wants me to check the perimeter fence…but I'll be back", she winked at Taneer and motioned an apology to Kira.

"She's having you check the perimeter fence before the other Republicans come?" Akaavi was still confused.

"What do you want from me Akaavi? Ask Bastila" she snapped, turning to leave as Akaavi held out her red hands, "Alright cousin, just asking".

After a brief conversation with Akaavi about her relation to Tracyn, and how she had been rescued by Sokoa's cousin, Tracyn's mother's aunt, at the age of five, Kira excused herself to take a walk in the quickly dimming light.

She stopped by Sokoa who was regaling a group of children about Kira and Holdan's fight in the alley on Mandalore.

"ahh there she is now" she motioned a sweeping arm to Kira and the children all turned.

"Did you really best Holdan aruetii?" a small black haired child asked wide-eyed.

"Watch it besom adike" Sokoa said with a stern face. "She is Master Kira to you".

Kira made a dismissive gesture. "Kira is fine young one, and I would say…we drew".

Sokoa snorted, "very modest, the Jedi are".

Kira smiled. "Speaking of, heard anything from Holdan?"

Sokoa shook her head. "Not yet…you think they've found trouble?"

Kira shrugged. "It's always a possibility".

Sokoa went to stand, "do you want me to talk to Jicoln?"

"No, no sit. I'm sure at worst it was a routine inspection. Just in case though where is the comm buoy?"

Sokoa pointed behind her and she turned to see a large mountain jutting out of the rainforest. "Give it an hour, if they are not here by then we'll have to tell Mand'alor and risk a quick flight up there".

Kira agreed with an appreciative look. "I'm just going to walk down the trail a bit".

Sokoa nodded still concerned but a young one was already crawling back into her lap, indicating adult time was over. Kira gave one last look to Taneer who still sitting and talking to Akaavi. As she walked out of the light and noise of the camp the jungle took on an eerie feel. It looked different in the dying light, and sounded different as well. She was starting to think that tihar had hallucinogenic properties.

Just ahead she could make out a shadow on the trail. She didn't want to walk too far and trip the security but it looked like a person. As she got closer she started to get excited when the shadows began to move, and she almost called out before the figures came into focus and she saw it was Tracyn. _She must be checking the perimeter._ Before she could say hi another figure moved out of the dense jungle and Tracyn clasped a closed fist over her left shoulder. This figure was wearing the beskar armor and her short black hair pegged her as Bastila, Jicoln's somewhat spikey lieutenant. Kira continued walking towards them, a little gingerly due to the slight inebriation she was feeling.

As she got closer she could tell they were speaking in their native tongue and she heard Bastila say, "no, the duty is mine", before they noticed their guest.

Both turned sharply, startled…for Mandalorians, and Bastila started to walk towards Kira.

"Master Carson" she said with a forced smile, "what are you doing out here?"

Something didn't feel right but Kira couldn't place what her unease stemmed from, her mind was fogged. "I'm growing a little concerned…I was going to walk back to the ship".

"No need. I just ordered Tracyn to go back".

Kira realized she could've told her that before she was able to hear what they were saying, but in that moment, as Bastila closed to just a couple feet away, the danger crystallized. _Where did Tracyn go?_ She reached for her lightsaber but her hand was moving so…slow. Before she could make it the half a foot to her blade hilt Bastila had grabbed her hand in a tight gauntleted embrace.

Now the smile was not forced. "That tihar's pretty strong eh?"

She heard a loud crunch and her teeth gritted together, it took a split second for her drug addled mind to realize she had just been struck from behind…in her last moment of consciousness she knew where Tracyn had gone.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

They were still in hyperspace when he felt Kira's fear and surprise in the Force. It was a testament to their connection more than his strength. After another moment of searching for her in the Force he doubled over with a groan.

"Kai, what's wrong?! What's going on?" Azi said from the pilot's chair in front of him.

He couldn't answer her right away. Now it was Corso who reached around and put a hand on his knee, "Kai-Kwon? Are you alright?"

Finally he looked up. "It's Kira…she's in danger…we need to hurry".

Neither of the smuggler pair said anything. They were well versed in Jedi's empathic abilities. Abilities Azi herself shared in the most basic of Force sensitive danger sense. She immediately turned back in her seat and began plotting the best route in once they came out of hyperspace. But as long as they were bending space towards their ship there was nothing they could do.

Kira came to hoping for the briefest of moments that it had been a bad dream. But as the fog cleared and she looked to her left and right she knew what she had surmised in that moment before the blackness came had been all too real. Mandalorians in various states of dress were on their knees with their hands interlocked behind their head. Their faces told the story. Looks of anger, shock, and betrayal at their handful of comrades who now stood behind them in full armor, blasters pointed at the back of their head.

She saw Sokoa poorly masking boiling rage. All of her men were beside her except Holdan, the one who was supposed to be watching for Kai-Kwon and the others. And maybe not incidentally the one Kai-Kwon had Force pushed through the door back in Keldabe. So now she knew what happened to the _True North._ But Kai-Kwon was alive, that much she was sure… _maybe he was just being held._

She was just starting to worry about Taneer when she heard, "Found this Republican in the woods. He was trying to make it back to his ship" from behind her. A moment later he was wrenched down beside her, a kick to the back of his knees insuring his cooperation.

He gave her a look of 'I tried' and she nodded her understanding. Before she could really get her bearings the sad but still dignified face of Jicoln Cadera made its way to the line. The blaster barrel of his confidante, Bastila Ordo, jammed firmly against the back of his neck.

"On your knees Jicoln" Bastila said removing her blaster as it was replaced by her lieutenant, Tracyn's. She gave the command firmly but without malice.

"Absolutely not. You will just have to kill me standing".

He was defiant in both voice and posture. Just then a light patter of rain began to fall, as if the Force recognized the darkness of this moment.

Tracyn looked to Bastila wide-eyed and eager but her commander only waved away the idea of killing him for that disobedience. A moment later Kira saw what the woman was waiting for as a dark skinned human in elaborate red and gold armor materialized from the tree line with a retinue of heavy shock troops, and what appeared to be an independent bounty hunter.

As he approached Bastila dropped to one knee, right fist held against her left chest plate, before bowing her head. "Mand'alor, we greet you in service".

The large man placed a gauntleted hand on her head. "You have done well for Clan Ordo and all of Mandalore. Now rise and do what must be done".

She stood with purpose, pulling her beskad in one smooth motion she began marching to where Jicoln still stood looking straight ahead at nothing.

"Don't you touch him you aruetii besom!" Sokoa yelled before getting a rifle butt to the back of the head that sent her face into the mud.

This elicited a cry of anguish from down the line as the zabraki woman named Akaavi tried to get up from the line and run down to Sokoa. She was tackled a moment later and held down by three men as she yelled "Aliit ori'shya tal'din!" or 'family is more than blood', a Mandalorian saying that was more a promise of vengeance.

Bastila ignored the outbursts and held her blade to the neck of Jicoln. She brought it back and stopped. For a second Kira thought she was holding it back. She had been trying to pull the weapon out of her hands since she pulled it but she was too far, and without her hands her control of the Force was indelicate.

She got her answer a moment later when she leaned forward and began whispering in Jicoln's ear. She was able to use the Force to hear what she said.

"I'm sorry. I truly am. But we can't let you tear apart the Mandalorians for them" she said jerking her chin towards Kira and Taneer.

To which Jicoln answered, "you're the ones tearing us apart. Just to be the empire's guard dog. I have always fought for Mandalorian freedom. A freedom we could've enjoyed as treatied allies of the Republic. A freedom we'll never have under the heel of the Empire".

Bastila paused before looking back at Artus Lok, who was beginning to look impatient. She leaned back to his ear again. "If that turns out the be the truth then I am sorrier than you'll ever know".

She kissed his cheek as Jicoln whispered back, "oh I have an idea".

Bastila Ordo, broke away, took a step back, and swung the beskad through the neck of her mentor, closing her eyes as the head hit the wet ground with a sickening thump.

Sokoa screamed into the mud and Akaavi yelled like a caged beast. Other captives held tears that mixed with the rain or cursed the men and women behind them.

Artus Lok approached and clasped a hand to Bastila's shoulder before walking past her and dramatically stepping over the headless body of his rival to stand in front of Kira.

"You Jedi will be a great gift to my allies on the Dark Council" he said gripping her chin.

She ripped her face away, "Allies?" she barked a laugh, "More like your masters you glorified akk hou-" he backhanded her across the cheek with his spiked knuckles, drawing streaks of blood down her cheek.

It was worth it not to have to hear his vain glorious gloating, she thought as blood dripped down onto her lap.

"Put her in my yacht" he said to the silver armored human bounty hunter.

"What about him?" one of the traitors asked about Taneer as they jerked Kira up.

"Who are you?" he asked Taneer, to which he got a wad of Dornean spit for an answer.

"He's Captain of ATIR-7, the Convors my Lord" Bastila said, having composed herself and rejoined her new master.

"Take him too. He'll have information for Imperial Command I'm sure".

"And the others Mand'alor?" Bastila asked, seemingly less sure of herself than she had been minutes ago.

"We can't take that many prisoners, and we can't leave this many enemies…but they are still Mandalorians, no matter how misguided. Give them a quick death". With that he turned to leave as Kira was pushed from behind.

Bastila seemed to be growing more unsettled by the moment but she found the dark within her once again to wave an arm in a cutting manner. The blaster rifles to either side of Kira opened up and Mandalorian men and women slumped forward in the mire and muck…all but one that is. Down the line Akaavi lurched forward on to her head while sweeping behind her with her back leg, knocking her executioner on his backside. She jumped up, remarkably quick for a woman with stun cuffs on, and kicked him in the face as she ran by. The other executioners began to turn their rifles towards her when Kira unleashed all the Force energy she had been gathering in all directions. Knocking her guards backwards, she began to run across the camp in the opposite direction from Akaavi, forcing the traitorous Mandalorians to make a choice about who to go after. They didn't take long.

Kira heard Bastila yell "on stun!"

Kira could feel the first, she jinked left, the second, right, the third, down, the fourth, she jumped, but after that there came too many too quick, and she was hit by stun bolts in several places. As she nodded off she hoped she'd given Akaavi enough of a window to escape


	13. Chapter 13

**Epilogue**

They had dropped out of hyperspace four hours ago, but the Onderon system was surrounded by two sister systems, meaning they had to drop to sub light well before the edge of the system they needed to be in. Kai-Kwon was anxious to a point where meditation was not helping. His friends weren't faring much better. They had begun snapping at each other two hours ago over the tiniest navigational infractions.

But they all perked up as they finally crossed into the system. However, Kai-Kwon's hope that they had gotten here in time evaporated as he still felt Kira very distant in the Force. Nearby all he felt was… _danger!_

Before he could relay the warning to Azi she was already taking evasive action. Her slight Force sensitivity alerting her to danger just before the shots from a faux Onderonian merchant convoy alighted behind their fallen sidewalls.

Without a word Kai-Kwon and Corso began to run from the cockpit. "Corso give Kai the topside, I'll try and keep them above us" Azi called out over her shoulder as she wrenched the controls. The inertial compensators could only do so much and the two men pinballed off the bulkheads on their way to the chute ladder.

Kai-Kwon strapped himself in to the laser cannon moments later. He fixed the earpiece and Azi's voice came through immediately. "I want you to concentrate fire on that lead frigate, that's the heavy and I want to take it out of play quick". There was no yelling. No unnecessary excitement in her voice. This was a surprise, but not anything that would scare Azi'tivi Zanek-Riggs…at least, not yet.

Kai-Kwon wheeled the bubble turret around and saw the frigate she was talking about. It wasn't massive. In fact, it looked like a Bothan model. But it was the most dangerous threat in this ambush. The others were carrier frigates who had already started spewing Mandalorian Davaab-class fighters en masse by the time they started their run.

"Check that. Corso focus fire on the frigate. Kai keep those fighters off me" she said with a bit more urgency.

Kai-Kwon had no need for the VR targeting device that could be brought down for aiming. His targeting system was the Force. An energy that bound every material molecule together. He closed his eyes and let that all-powerful creator flow through him, take over his hands…and fire.

His bubble was jerking back and forth so rapidly that it would've made a normal man vomit. His green laser fire tore off one of the cannon-wings of the fighter at ten o'clock, then a direct hit through the viewport on the fighter at one o'clock.

"Good babe, launching striker missile" he heard Azi's voice in his ear and belatedly realized she was talking to her husband.

Kai-Kwon heard nothing else, but felt the ship make a hard turn to port before Corso shouted "where are we going?! We have one more striker".

"Too many fighters launching. We disabled one of their main sublights, now we just have to make it to atmosphere".

"Roger" Corso uttered the shipboard term for understanding. He, like Kai-Kwon, knew that Starfighters lost about half their maneuverability in the gravity filled skies of any planet with an atmosphere.

The space outside Kai-Kwon's viewport must've looked like a swarm of flitnats over a garbage chute. They had identified him as the biggest obstacle to them taking down the _True North_ and were trying desperately to kill him or at the very least disable his cannon…and they had come close to succeeding at both more than once. It was only his power in the Force that was thwarting them.

Finally, and thankfully, the canopy outside turned orange with the fire of planetary entry. When the flame cleared Kai-Kwon sank back into the Force…but sensed no danger.

"I'm reading no contacts!" Azi yelled in his ear.

A 'whoop" came from Corso in the underside turret.

"Mandalorians may be crazy, but they're not stupid. They know their Davaab's are death traps in atmosphere…especially this hothouse" Kai-Kwon added, before unstrapping himself from the seat and meeting Corso and Azi back in the cockpit.

"Sokoa's ship is still here" Azi said, her face tightening.

"Well maybe that means they're still here?" Corso asked.

Azi looked at Kai-Kwon standing behind her, but he only shook his head. "She's not here…and I doubt very much that Sokoa is. All their ship being here signifies is that they were taken".

They located the ship's transponder and set down in the tiny space next to Sokoa's _Akelenedat,_ which meant 'Hard Contact' in Basic. Kai-Kwon was desperate and anxious but knew they had to move cautiously. The convoy ambush was probably plan A, it was always better to try a Jedi ambush in space, especially when you knew that Jedi was a ship passenger and not in their personal Starfighter, but Mandalorians would almost always have a contingency.

They spent a minute perusing the ship before setting down the only trail. Relying on Kai-Kwon's danger sense the three could run nearly the entire way. Thirty minutes after starting the hike the trail widened and the Jedi felt his first disturbance in the Force. He slowed quickly and held out a restraining hand to the others. It wasn't necessarily danger he sensed, but anxiety maybe?

They could now make out the faint artificial light of the camp ahead. They were still moving cautiously now as he tried to sense the danger ahead. Still the Force was just a jumble of disturbance.

Suddenly the low cries of someone sobbing could be heard clearly. The trio began to jog towards the clearing as a light rain started to fall. Finally, they could see where the sobbing was emanating from; a small woman in dirty slacks and a sleeveless undershirt. She turned to see the newcomers jogging towards her and her sobs turned to a cruel laugh before she bounded at Kai-Kwon like some sort of feral akk.

His shock was so great he barely had time to draw his lightsaber before the woman jumped at him. Before he could activate the blade the savage woman pinwheeled in the air, finally coming to a rest near the front door of a pre-fab hut, a dagger hilt protruding from her temple.

With the woman's Force presence gone Kai-Kwon could sense the danger…everywhere. A yell jerked his head to the east and he saw a giant Zabraki woman in Mandalorian armor running towards them, a double-bladed staff twirling in her right hand. Now he did activate his blade. The woman activated a wrist shield as bolts from Azi's dual blasters ricocheted off it. The giant Zabraki pointed her staff past them. "Behind you!"

Kai-Kwon turned to the west to see a line of Mandalorian soldiers moving out of the tree line, firing in unison. He Force threw Azi and Corso behind one of the pre-fab huts as gently as possible and then began deflecting bolts as the Zabraki woman ran behind him to join his friends now scrambling to their feet to take defensive cover. Kai-Kwon succeeded in parrying two bolts back to its source. One of which struck just above the neckline of a green armored Mandalorian and sent him to the muddy ground.

He joined his now three comrades behind cover. But before they could come up with any kind of plan, red bolts started ripping through the cheap flimsiplast walls around them. They would have to wing it.

Kai-Kwon readied himself quickly before using the Force to bound over the hut, coming down twenty meters behind it, his blade burying itself in the chest plate of one of his attackers as he came down. The attackers to his left and right turned immediately to him, which was their first mistake. One of the Mandos opened fire from two yards away, which was his second and last mistake as the plain clothes Jedi deflected the stream of bolts right back into his midsection. He turned back to the other in time to see the Zabrak jumping off the roof of the crumbling hut to capitalize on the Mandos original mistake.

Kai-Kwon deflected another bolt as a large attacker in black armor rushed him. Realizing his comrades mistakes he tossed his blaster altogether and pulled his beskad. His swings were wild and over-committed. While side stepping the man's wild attack he realized these were not seasoned veterans. They might have left a detachment of rookies because they had faith in their frigate ambush. It's also possible they didn't know the identity of the Jedi on Mandalore. Didn't know it was the "Saviors of the Republic" they had stumbled into.

Blue blaster bolts began to pour out of the jungle behind him and he realized Azi and Corso had successfully flanked the ambush. The Mandalorians realized this too as they called a semi-organized retreat into the tree line. Kai-Kwon extinguished his blade and caught the young Mandalorians newest wild swing under his arm, wrapping his bicep around his elbow the man, who let out a muffled yelp, before jabbing his thumb under the man's helmet. Applying the pressure needed to cut off the blood flow to the brain, the man went limp and he eased him to the ground.

A few moment later he was joined by the Zabrak, still breathing hard but Kai-Kwon sensed it had little to do with the fight. She stabbed her beskar staff into the ground and offered him a forearm. "I'm Akaavi Spar of Clan Skirata".

He took it. "Jedi Knight Kai-Kwon Deo. I get the feeling that ambush would've been a bit more prepared had it not been for you".

She only nodded at that, water dripping off her nose as she did.

"I still don't get how I didn't sense it".

"Maybe you were preoccupied…maybe it was the madness of the woman they used as bait".

"She was mad?"

"Quite."

 _That could explain it actually._

They stood in silence as Azi and Corso finally jogged up to them.

"I know where they are taking them," Akaavi announced.

Kai-Kwon looked to Azi who only shrugged, "so what are we waiting for?"

He gave his new ally a gracious smile before he and the two females began jogging back through the camp and to their waiting ship.

"So introductions later then?" a huffing Corso called from behind them before holstering his beloved blaster Sparky, and running to catch up.


End file.
